This invention relates generally to a bearing assembly and, more particularly, to a bearing assembly having a pillow block housing for supporting a linear bearing which, in turn supports a slidable shaft.
In many applications, the slidable shaft is guided by two bearings which are housed in two axially spaced pillow blocks. In order to enable free sliding of the shaft, it is essential that the centerlines of the two bearings be in precise alignment. Such precise alignment is difficult to attain, however, because of imprecision in the structure on which the pillow blocks are mounted or because of imprecise installation of the pillow blocks. While self-aligning pillow blocks exist, they are relatively complex in structure and, in some cases, the pillow blocks themselves are so imprecise that ball bearing bushings are necessary to compensate for the loose tolerances of the pillow blocks and maintain precise centerline accuracy.